How to Fill Out the California JUD-100 Default Judgment Form

To fill out the California JUD-100 form, identify how the judgment was reached (default, court trial, jury trial, or stipulation), check the matching box in items 1 through 4, name the winning and losing parties in item 5, itemize damages, interest, attorney fees, and costs in item 6, and mark item 7 if the debtor is an individual with qualifying personal or medical debt. The form then travels to the clerk with a supporting package: proof of service, a Memorandum of Costs if you are claiming costs, and for defaults, a military status declaration and the earlier Request for Entry of Default.

The JUD-100 is the Judicial Council form that turns the outcome of a general civil case in California Superior Court into an enforceable order.1California Courts Self Help Guide. Judgment (JUD-100) It covers limited civil cases up to $35,000 and unlimited civil cases above that. It is not the right form for family law, small claims, or probate matters, which have their own judgments.

Confirm the JUD-100 Fits Your Situation

Before writing anything, be sure your case belongs on this form and that any prerequisites are met.

If the defendant never responded and you want the clerk to enter judgment, the clerk can only do so when the lawsuit is purely for a fixed sum of money under a contract — that is Code of Civil Procedure 585(a).2California Legislative Information. California Code of Civil Procedure CCP 585 Personal injury, property damage, or any claim where the amount is not set by a contract requires a court judgment under CCP 585(b), meaning a judge must hear evidence and decide the relief.

For any default judgment, three things must already be in place:

If the judgment follows a trial or a stipulation between the parties, none of these default prerequisites apply.

The Caption

The top of the form is standard Judicial Council layout: court name and street address, branch or district, full names of the plaintiff and defendant, and the case number. Copy each of these from earlier filings exactly. A mismatched party name or case number is one of the easier ways to get a judgment package rejected.

Items 1–4: What Kind of Judgment Is This

Items 1 through 4 ask how the judgment was reached. Check the single box that matches:7Judicial Council of California. JUD-100 Judgment

  • After court trial. A judge heard evidence in a bench trial where the parties waived a jury.
  • After jury trial. A jury returned a verdict that the judge is now entering as judgment.
  • By default — clerk’s judgment under CCP 585(a). The defendant was sued on a contract for money, never responded, and the clerk enters judgment for the exact amount demanded.
  • By default — court judgment under CCP 585(b). The defendant never responded, but a judge had to hear evidence because the claim was not a fixed contractual sum.
  • Stipulated judgment. The parties agreed and are asking the court to enter their agreement as an enforceable judgment.

If you check a default box, the form walks through confirming that the defendant was properly served, failed to respond, and had their default entered by the clerk.

Item 5: Who Won and Who Lost

Item 5 records the direction of the judgment. Check 5a for plaintiff against defendant, 5b for defendant, 5c for a cross-complainant, or 5d for a cross-defendant. Then write out the full legal name of every party the judgment covers.

Precision matters here. In cases with multiple defendants, name only the ones the judgment actually runs against. A judgment that misnames the debtor is unenforceable against anyone.

Item 6: The Money

Item 6 is where the dollar figures go. If the defendant owes the plaintiff, check 6a and fill in each component:

  • Damages (6a.1). The principal amount awarded — the actual loss or the contractual amount owed.
  • Prejudgment interest (6a.2). Interest that ran from the date the obligation arose through the date of judgment. For contracts that do not set a rate, California law fixes prejudgment interest at 10% per year. Enter both the annual rate and the calculated total.8California Legislative Information. California Civil Code 3289
  • Attorney fees. Enter an amount only if a contract or statute authorizes fee recovery.
  • Costs. Filing fees, service of process, deposition costs, and other recoverable litigation expenses.

Add the components carefully; the form asks for each line and a grand total. In a default case, run the total against the demand in the complaint before submitting. Anything above that ceiling will bounce.4California Legislative Information. California Code of Civil Procedure CCP 580 Items 6c and 6d work the same way for cross-complaint awards.

If the judgment orders something other than money — an injunction, specific performance, a declaration of rights — describe it in the space provided. Be concrete. “Defendant shall vacate the property at 123 Main Street by [date]” is enforceable; a vague reference to equitable relief is not.

Item 7: The Personal or Medical Debt Box

Item 7 is small but consequential. Check it when the debtor is a natural person and the judgment involves personal debt under $50,000 or medical expenses under $200,000. Checking that box lowers the post-judgment interest rate from 10% to 5% and limits renewal to a single five-year period rather than the usual ten-year renewals.9Judicial Council of California. Information Sheet for Calculating Interest and Amount Owed on a Judgment Judgments based on fraud, tort liability, or unpaid wages do not qualify even if the dollar thresholds are met.

Documents to Submit With the JUD-100

The form alone will not get entered. Assemble the package before you submit.

Proof of Service

You have to show that every party who appeared received a copy of the proposed judgment. Use a standard proof of service; the person serving must be at least 18 and not a party to the case.

Memorandum of Costs (MC-010)

If you are claiming litigation costs, file form MC-010. Recoverable costs include filing fees, jury fees, deposition costs, service of process, witness fees, court reporter fees, and electronic filing fees.10Judicial Council of California. MC-010 Memorandum of Costs (Summary) Serve and file it within 15 days after notice of entry of judgment, or within 180 days after entry, whichever comes first.11Judicial Branch of California. Rule 3.1700 – Prejudgment Costs Miss that window and the right to recover costs is gone.

Original Written Instruments

If the lawsuit was based on a written contract, promissory note, or other signed document, many courts want the original surrendered to the clerk or at least presented for verification. County rules vary. Check yours before you show up without the original.

Default Judgment Extras

For default judgments, add the military status declaration, evidence supporting the damages you are claiming (especially for CCP 585(b) court judgments, where a judge has to weigh the proof), and copies of the CIV-100 and the proof of service of the summons and complaint. Include self-addressed stamped envelopes for return of conformed copies.

How and Where to Submit It

Most California counties now require electronic filing for civil cases. As of 2026, more than 30 counties mandate e-filing, including Los Angeles, San Diego, Orange, San Francisco, Sacramento, and the Bay Area counties. A handful of smaller counties still accept or require paper. Confirm your county’s rule on its Superior Court website or with the clerk before you submit.

For e-filing, submit through an approved electronic filing service provider; the provider uploads to the court. For paper filings, deliver the package to the civil clerk’s window or mail it in with enough copies to conform for every party plus your own, and a self-addressed stamped envelope for mail return.

There is no separate filing fee for the JUD-100 package itself. Your initial case filing fee covered entry of judgment.12Judicial Branch of California. Statewide Civil Fee Schedule Effective January 1, 2026 E-filing providers charge their own transaction fees, which vary.

After you submit, the clerk reviews the package for completeness. If something is missing or inconsistent, you will get a notice of deficiency listing the problems. Default judgment review can take a few days to several weeks depending on the court’s backlog. Trial judgments that a judge has already signed usually move faster.

After the Judgment Is Entered

Entry starts the clock on several deadlines. If you are represented by an attorney, California law puts the duty of notice on the party who submitted the judgment: prepare and serve a Notice of Entry of Judgment on form CIV-130 to every party who appeared, then file the original with proof of service.13California Legislative Information. California Code of Civil Procedure CCP 664.5 If you are self-represented and prevailed, the clerk handles service.

Serving the notice triggers the appeal deadline. The losing party has 60 days from service of the notice of entry to file a notice of appeal. Without service of a notice of entry, the window stays open for 180 days from the date the judgment was entered.14Judicial Branch of California. Rule 8.104 – Time to Appeal If you won, serving promptly is how you shorten the challenge window.